Human Touch have a long history of providing innovative products to help ease the stress and strain of modern life. They have multiple awards for design and innovation, and produce the only chair tested and recognized by the World Federation of Chiropractics as a valid supplement to back care therapy.
Today is our Human Touch WholeBody 5.1 Massage Chair review. The WholeBody 5.1 is a swivel-based zero-gravity recliner ideal for those looking for a simple, streamlined, but effective message. Let’s take a look.
The Human Touch WholeBody 5.1 massage chair is what’s known as a zero-gravity massage chair. The zero-gravity position is when the chair reclines the body in such a way as to take all the weight and pressure off the joints, hips, and back. This not only helps relax the body, but also makes massages more effective.
Features and benefits
This is not the most feature-exhaustive chair we’ve ever seen, nor is it the most robust. But it’s important to remember with these types of chairs that they aren’t intended to replace going to a masseuse like some of the larger chairs. They’re really designed for quick, easy relaxation and massage to help ease the stress of living.
We’ve already covered the zero-gravity recline feature, but we’ll say it again: the chair has a zero-gravity recline feature to help get the most out of the massage.
The swivel base is a nice touch, with a range of about 55 degree. The chair has a fairly small profile, and the swivel base allows you to orient the chair when reclined to better suit whatever space you put it in.
Human Touch prides themselves on their Flexglide technology. We’re not entirely sure what it is, but the result is that there’s no pinching and little, if any, friction when getting your massage. It makes the whole experience as pleasantly smooth as possible. We might not fully understand it, but we certainly appreciate it.
The reclinable ottoman has its own motor, so it can raise and lower independently on the chair. It also features calf massagers, which is a feature sorely missing on many chairs in this price range. It claims it’s also a foot massager, but our legs weren’t short enough for our feet to get any real benefit.
In terms of actual massage settings, the Human Touch WholeBody 5.1 massage chair is a bit light.
There are three automatic massage settings and no manual settings. You can go for the stretch, flex, or tone massage, and then set the range of the massage – whole body, upper body, or lower. There are no intensity adjustments, although you can adjust the position of the rollers.
The calf massagers feature a special figure-8 pattern function which is designed to help increase circulation. This can be set independently of the rest of the massage settings as well.
What’s somewhat disappointing about the chair is the features it doesn’t have. Most chairs have some way of adjusting the intensity, but we couldn’t find anything. Even something as simple as user-adjustable padding on the chair that puts more or less space between you and the rollers is pretty standard in even the most basic massage chair.
That being said, there is a comfort pillow for the head and shoulders, so there’s that.
While doing this HT WholeBody 5.1 massage chair review, we noticed there are no heating elements, which isn’t necessarily a surprise.
You also can’t adjust the timing. All of the massages are 15 minutes. Most chairs feature user-definable massages from 5-30 minutes. Again, this isn’t something reserved for higher end chairs, normally.
The chair is upholstered in faux leather, and the controls are managed by a simple, easy-to-understand controller.
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Pros
That FlexGlide technology really makes for a wonderfully comfortable massage experience. The Human Touch WholeBody 5.1 massage chair is also designed to fit into contemporary interior design, so it should look right at home in your living room. Its small profile and overall comfortableness means you can easily use it as a standard recliner when you don’t need a massage.
The lack of features is disappointing, but it makes the chair incredibly easy to use. It’s not meant to replace a masseuse, just relax you after a long day.
Cons
The lack of features is, well, disappointing. Intensity adjustments, even if just removable cushioning, should be pretty standard. The chair aims for a medium intensity workout, but sometimes you need a little bit more. Or less. The option is nice.
Not being able to set how long the massage lasts is also a curious omission. If you don’t have 15 minutes for a massage, stiff luck. And if you’re after something longer, well, stiff luck again.
HT WholeBody 5.1 Massage Chair Review Conclusion
You’ve really got to ask yourself what you want from a chair before you buy it. Human Touch specializes in making devices to help you relax and de-stress. They’re simple, functional, well-built and comfortable. If you’re looking for an entry level chair that will suit your décor and double as a nice recliner, this is actually a great place to start. The massage itself is very effective, and the chair is incredibly comfortable to lie in.
If, however, you’re after an in-depth massage experience, this clearly is not the chair for you. Its feature list is bare even by the standards of this price point, although the quality of the massage itself is, in our eyes, superior. You won’t get heating pads, foot rollers, or a thousand minutely adjustable settings. Just an easy, couple of button pushes and your done sort of chair.
Personally, we like the chair. There’s bigger and better out there, to be sure, but the FlexGlide technology really makes for a gentle, relaxing massage. There are no sudden jerks or pinches or friction burns. It really does feel like well-oiled fingers are running up and down your back, and for the most part, that’s all we’re after.
I hope you enjoyed my Human Touch WholeBody 5.1 massage chair review, and If you want to find out more or order one of the HT WoleBody 5.1 chairs, click the button below.
